modern manifesto
by laurelsalexis
Summary: Basically a dumping ground for all Barson drabbles, most are taken from the weekly challenge on Tumblr that I'm doing in reverse.
1. storm

Late writer for SVU means I missed out on a lot of those drabble things but I want to do them so dumping ground. Also, a dumping ground for anything I think of. Feel free to shoot me an idea, if you wish.

Title is from Get Free by Lana Del Rey

Prompt for this one is **storm** & it's post The Undiscovered Country~

* * *

As a kid the spring storms that rolled through the city were one of the few things that could calm Rafael from the nerves brought upon by just being in the same space as his father.

As an adult they only seem to remind him all of his failings.

He stares out the window, thinking of things he shouldn't, needing to act on things he perhaps shouldn't.

He misses her.

He needs her.

It's not any more complicated than that, is it?

He hasn't seen Liv in a month and it aches at him every passing day, every passing minute.

So many times he's picked up his phone only to set it back down next to the bottle of scotch that he's been slowly, or not so slowly, polishing off. As if drinking will give him answers.

He grabs his coat by the front door, barely remembering to put it on before he's in the heavy rainfall, the thunder booming loudly above him, lightning flashing in the distance, beautiful and dangerous.

He loves it.

Rafael knows he can go in to the precinct. He doesn't. Rather he stands there like a foolish idiot and allows the storm swallow him whole.

A soft flutter of nervousness comes over him as he finally sees her. The questioning look on her face only making him wonder why he hadn't at least called.

"Rafa, what are you doing here?" The cold edge her voice isn't lost on anyone.

"I.." He pauses, taking a step forward, feeling so uncertain, "I need you. I've always needed you. I think I'll always need you."

After a too long bout of silence, Liv opens her mouth, only to find herself smiling, barely, her umbrella covering them both instantly. "Not as romantic as they make it seem in the movies, is it?"


	2. bruise

**A/N:** Prompt is bruise & there are some vague implications of child abuse in this one.

* * *

Liv's only known Rafael for a week. He goes to Harvard and is home for Christmas. She's been a member of the NYPD for a couple of weeks now. It's going good but there's definitely a reason she's went to the bar for a drink in the first place.

Didn't think it would mean anything.

It's just her luck she meets someone like him. He's leaving sooner rather than later, going back to Harvard, back to running away from whatever he's running from.

She can see the look in his eyes.

There's a light dusting of snow seen from where she drinks the beer as she waits for him.

They meet too much.

There's a level of attachment neither can afford.

No matter how much she enjoys him in her bed.

The notice of the bruise on his cheek is enough for her to return to cop mode. She barely waits for him to be seated before she's invading his space and turning his head so she can see.

It's not pretty and she does her best to not touch it.

"Rafael, what happened?"

"Nothing." He replies firmly, dismissive.

"That's not nothing." When he doesn't say anything she lets her hand fall from him. "Let me help."

His green eyes find her, looking at her with a certain softness neither has exhibited before. "We'll sit. We'll drink. We'll end up at your apartment. We're both going to ignore the bruise on my cheek. I ran into a door. That's what they say, isn't it?"

It's those last two sentences that are enough to tell Liv where he got the bruise and come to realize, painfully, that Mr. Harvard has a dark past as much as she does.

She doesn't like it but won't fight it.

"Yeah, okay."


	3. distance

**A/N:** prompt is distance & it's post community policing and mostly based off that deleted scene where barson don't talk for a few weeks after it.

* * *

Rafael lets the weeks tick on by without seeking out Liv, just as she isn't seeking out him.

It is what it is.

He doesn't know how to feel about it, about her, about the entire case. He knows who Liv is. He knows it with every fiber of his being. The whole aspect of her being a cop hadn't registered with him. He didn't realize he needed to.

He's in denial about everything and that's exactly where he wants to stay.

Denial is so much easier than facing a truth that someone might be something else than they thought.

It's worked before and it'll work now.

Of course that means his life is a bit more empty than usual. He's been throwing himself into cases that need to be tried. She hasn't called and part of him wishes she would.

She won't.

He won't.

They are both too stubborn for their own good.

Something has shifted, that much he knows. Maybe it's the case or maybe it's something else but the difference between them feels bigger.

It _is_ bigger.

Even as she eventually finds herself in his office the distance remains. It's as if they are both trying to create as much space from the other as they possibly can.

He almost wishes she wasn't there at all and they were back. Something has definitely changed between the two of them and he knows, deep in his core, that it will not be something easy to repair.

When those cops go to trial it's only going to bring up more tension between them.

The business side of him believes she was wrong to her very core and he can't let that go, but the all too human part of him just misses his best friend.


	4. discovery

prompt is discovery~

* * *

Liv knows that things have been complicated between her and Rafael ever since she didn't tell him about her relationship with Tucker. She meant to but it seemed to slip further and further away from her until it was too late.

She isn't even sure why she didn't tell him.

They were friends, are friends, and spent more time together than she did with anyone since Elliot.

Rafael is happy. She thinks. Actually she doesn't know now that she spends her nights with Tucker and less time with Rafael.

There's a frown on her face at the realization.

She wants to be there with him, to share a drink, to talk like they used to do so often. Before things got complicated.

It wasn't really just Tucker that caused the divide.

It started before.

Normal quarrels for friends.

They were just both so stubborn.

The case wraps up nicely and she decides to seek him out, ask if he wants a drink. Lucy has Noah and Tucker is working late. It is the perfect moment.

Carmen already left and she barely knocks before letting herself in.

She doesn't meant to interrupt. When does he have company anyway?

Only there's a man definitely sitting on Rafael's desk, they are both smiling, happy, and that's definitely Rafael's hand on his thigh in a casual, yet, **affectionate** manner.

"I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No, no it's fine." Rafael replies with a casual ease. "Join us for a drink."

She wants to tell him no and that she has a more professional reason for being there. She isn't. She is there to get a drink with him. "Sure." She has to force a smile, though.

She doesn't know why it's bothering her, why the mystery man is bothering her.

It's a lie.

She definitely knows why.


	5. charity

prompt is charity; senator barba au

* * *

Rafael's always been extraordinarily good at playing nice. From the time he was a boy to now as he sits there next to Liv, his wife, listening to one of the other senators go on about something he lost interest in three words in, he doesn't break the polite smile.

Of course, he has quite the mouth and dislikes more than he likes. He knows when to play nice.

That's an important feature for him to have.

The soft music plays as he finds himself rising from his chair, barely excusing himself, asking Liv to dance.

She smiles up at him knowing exactly what he's up to and takes his hand, following along as they move to where there are others dancing and enjoying themselves.

"You can fool him but you can't fool me." She whispers as her arms move around him, bringing him closer.

He smiles, unable to help himself. "Mm, maybe not, but I don't believe for a second either of us wish for him to drone on about something entirely ridiculous."

"He's passionate."

"He's annoying."

"We're at a charity ball, Rafa." A gentle reminder.

"Yes, we are." He nods. "Only the charity isn't for him. It's for the children and hopes that the others will take their heads out of their asses so they stop getting murdered."

"Wishful thinking." Of course she's not wrong. Unfortunately.

"We made a sizable donation." He tells her, willing to focus on the more positive moments of the evening.

"Of course we did. I expect nothing else."

Rafael only raises an eyebrow at her.

"I saw the bank statement."

"Mm, so much for the mystery."

"You're not that mysterious, Rafael." Liv whispers.

"Lucky for us both."

"We are lucky." She confirms just as she gives him a kiss.


End file.
